The Pestering Portal
by Shastao
Summary: A duo of adventurers find adventure in places they didn't know existed...
1. Default Chapter Title

The Pestering Portal  
  
Part One  
  
by Shastao  
  
  
-  
Chapter 1  
-  
  
  
A duo of adventurers, one clad in light blue robes, bearing the  
visage of a wise magician, the other in black-and-grey lightweight  
armor, with a sheathed katana at his side. The two were travelling  
through a forest that day, a thickly-foliated dark side of the woods,  
and going through the forest by a conviniently marked path.  
  
As they were walking, they suddenly felt a tingle in their spines,  
and subsequently found themselves among foliage of a much lighter   
color, and they were standing on a path, since they had stopped   
because of the spine tingle.  
  
"The hell?" asked the one in blue.  
  
"...Mm?" replied his companion, the one in black-grey armor.  
  
"Where are we?"  
  
"...Maybe a lighter part of this forest?" suggested the one in   
armor.  
  
"...That suddenly?"  
  
"Maybe..."  
  
"But this place doesn't seem right..." the one in blue trailed off  
as a rustling in the nearby bushes was heard. A rounded, yellow head  
with long pointy ears stared at the duo from the bushes.  
  
"...What the hell is that?" asked the one in grey, gesturing at it.  
  
"I have *no* idea. Let me try an ESP spell," responded the other.  
Suddenly the rodent-looking yellow creature piped up.  
  
"Pika pika!"  
  
The blue-clad figure makes a few mystical passes and mutters   
something under his breath and stares at the yellow rodent for a few   
minutes. During this time, the rodent hops onto the path the duo are  
travelling.  
  
After the figure looked up, his companion asked him a question.  
"...What IS that?"  
  
"A... Pikachu."  
  
"A what?"  
  
"Pikachu. Some sort of lightning mouse."  
  
At which point, the creature interjected with a "Pi ka!".  
  
"...and what's it doing here?"  
  
"First off, I think we're somewhere completely different. There's   
a lot of things like this, and people train them to fight and stuff.  
So at a guess, I'd say it belongs here."  
  
"Like dogs?"  
  
"Kinda..." trailed the one in blue.  
  
"Pika chu," the little electric mouse stated.  
  
"...And these people. Could be found...?" inquired the armored  
one.  
  
"Not sure. Although I don't think there's many people outside of  
towns."  
  
"...Perhaps we should find a town and find out where the hell we  
are, then."  
  
"Good idea. Which way do we try?" asked the one in blue. The   
armored one blinked.  
  
"Forward?"  
  
"Works," the blue one said, and the duo set off, leaving the   
pikachu behind.  
  
"Pika pi?" the pikachu asked rhetorically, with a perk of it's ear.  
It then returned to the undergrowth, minding it's own business.  
  
  
-  
Chapter 2  
-   
  
  
That night, the two had set up camp on the edge of the forest.  
Both were relaxing by a campfire under the open night sky. The one  
in blackgrey, the warrior, started up a conversation with his   
travelling companion as they both stared at the sky. "...Do you  
really think we're somewhere else than before?"  
  
"I'm not sure, but with the images and such I got...", trailed off  
the one in blue, the mage.  
  
"Yeah. Never heard of that...thing...whatever it is...before."  
  
"Pikachu. And neither had I."  
  
"...So, if this is a different world, what are we doing here?"  
  
"No idea. Probably some sort of portal. Don't know why we didn't  
see it."  
  
"Yeah, and you're the mage."  
  
"I wasn't looking for magic, okay?" After that, the duo stared   
at the sky, wondering where they were, and drifted into sleep.  
  
* * * * *  
  
The next morning, the warrior shook himself awake. "...mm...GAH!  
BRIGHT SUN BURNING MY EYES!", he yelled.  
  
"Ugh. Morning," said his mage companion.  
  
"...Oh. My dreams. Nevermind. But it is morning," the warrior  
stated, while getting ready to pack and eat a breakfast at the same  
time. "Sleep well?" he asked, trying to make conversation.  
  
"About as well as usual," the mage replied, continuing to prepare  
for travel while idly thumbing through his spellbook.  
  
"Alright," the warrior said. The two begun to walk on down the  
path, albeit occasionally eye-rubbing, but regardless they trudged  
on towards a sighted town nearby under a partially cloudy sky.  
  
* * * * *  
  
The duo neared the town. The sun rose higher in it's course   
through the sky, and they met up with a local youth, perhaps no   
older than 8 or 9 years, dressed in modern clothing. When the   
youth saw the duo he had a doubletake.  
  
"Hey, it ain't Halloween, y'know," the youth said, after recovering  
from his doubletake. The warrior considering saying something, but  
stopped himself from saying it. "What kind of costume is that,   
anyway?" the youth asked.  
  
"It's not. And you look normal, I suppose?" asked the mage to the  
youth.  
  
"I'm in style, pointy-ear."  
  
"...Style? And don't call me pointy-ear," said the mage, pulling  
his hood more over his face suddenly.  
  
"...The latest fads. Well, your ears *are* pointy," the youth  
replied.  
  
"...", went the warrior.  
  
"...And I suppose you're a wizard? Even though magic doesn't exist,  
Mother says," the youth stated to the mage.  
  
"You'd suppose right."  
  
The kid had a large amount of sudden sarcasm. "Oh, and I suppose   
you  
could turn me into a frog."  
  
"...Yes. But I won't."  
  
"...Right. I'll be going now...", replied the youth, scurrying back  
to town.  
  
"Hmm... I think discretion is advised," said the mage, half-to   
himself.  
  
"...mm?" replied his companion.  
  
"Okay, magic doesn't seem to be known here. I don't think we want   
to be singled out as freaks, and I especially don't want to know what  
they'd do to a mage," the blue-robed one said, taking a moment to  
reflect on his studies about primitive cultures and their possible  
reactions to the forces of magic. "Some sort of illusion might be   
useful."  
  
"...What do you suggest, Mage Sotek?"  
  
"I'm thinking," Sotek said, and begun to do so out loud. "Hmm.  
Change Self, but that won't last long, and only works on me anyway,  
other than that... hmm. I guess... a Seeming."  
  
"...mm?" his companion asked.  
  
Sotek explained. "One of my most powerful illusion spells. It'll   
make us look different, enough so that we won't be recognized as being  
too unusual. And it should last for several hours."  
  
"...Sounds good, but how do you know what to make us look like?"  
  
"...Good point. Well, I can tell that humans are ordinary, so I   
mask my elven features, and make you look somewhat different in case  
we run into that kid again... Hmm. Clothing may be a bit of a   
problem. I could try extrapolating from what that kid was wearing, or  
I could try a Clairvoyance into the town first."  
  
"...Whatever you wish, as long as we're a bit more concealed than we  
are now, right?"  
  
"Essentially," Sotek replied, as he began to concentrate on the  
happenings of the nearby town, and making mental notes of the local  
fashion. Then, thumbing through his spellbook, he carefully examined  
the section he marked as the spell 'Seeming'. After various gestures  
and incantations, the duo shimmered, and their appearance changed.  
  
The warrior's appearance changed to that of a travel-worn fellow in  
khakis with a grey t-shirt, toting a moderate brown backpack with a  
dark grey umbrella strapped to his side, which was actually the  
warrior's katana...  
  
Sotek's appearance changed to that of a common human, wearing blue  
jeans with a dark blue t-shirt, toting a similarly colored backpack  
and had a nice thick book in one hand, and a walking stick in the   
other hand.  
  
Remarking on the change, the warrior stated, "what strange tastes  
the people in this land have. But it will suffice."  
  
"Indeed. Shall we enter the town, then?"  
  
Patting his 'umbrella', his companion replied, "I suppose," and they  
started walking. "So... what are we going to do in this town?"  
  
"Get a better idea of what this place is based on, maybe see if we  
can find a way to get home."  
  
"Mm."  
  
  
-  
Chapter 3  
-  
  
  
The duo finally entered the town. Some kids were playing in the  
street, paying no mind to the two travellers that had just arrived.  
Generally, everyone was minding their own business. After a few  
minutes of wandering around, they noticed an old man standing on a   
porch. He had seen them and raised an eyebrow, and the duo approached  
him.  
  
"...who are you two?" the old man asked.  
  
"Just travellers," replied Sotek.  
  
"...", added his companion.  
  
The old man asked another question. "...You're not from around   
here, are you?"  
  
"...No," replied Sotek.  
  
"...This isn't a good place to talk. Follow me," said the old man,  
who promptly headed into his house.  
  
"Well, we do want information," Sotek said, and the duo entered.  
  
The old man's house was small, and at the moment dimly-lit.  
  
"I am Simri. I sensed that you have a powerful aura of magic about  
you," said the old man.  
  
"I'm Sotek. A mage."  
  
"...", the warrior quietly said.  
  
"I guess I was right. This is a different world than we came from.  
Hmm..." Sotek said.  
  
Simri was curious. "Different world?"  
  
"Yes. I think we accidentally walked through a portal."  
  
"Portal?"  
  
"A gate between worlds."  
  
"...And you know of this world?"  
  
"Not really."  
  
"...Should I explain a bit, then?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Other than humans, this world is populated with a very wide variety  
of creatures known as pokémon."  
  
"...That...thing we saw yesterday?", asked Sotek's companion.  
  
"...Anyway. These pokémon are usually captured and trained as pets  
or guardians."  
  
"Just how are they captured? It was some sort of spherical device,  
wasn't it?"  
  
Simri pulled a half-red half-white spherical object out of his tunic  
saying, "Yes. You are right." There was a short silence. "Well,   
then. Should I show you the basics of pokémon training?"  
  
"I'd like that, yes."  
  
"Alright."  
  
  
-  
Chapter 4  
-  
  
  
Two days later, the warrior was practicing with his katana on the   
air in the fenced-in backyard garden of Simri's residence. The   
Seeming spell had since worn off, and Sotek was busy studying the art  
of pokémon training. After a good bit of this exercise, he put his  
katana away and entered the hut.  
  
"...Well, then. Now that we're finished with your brief training...  
Here. Take good care of Abra, will you? Since i'm old..." Simri said  
to Sotek as the warrior entered.  
  
Simply, Sotek replied with a "Thank you."  
  
"You're welcome," Simri replied as the warrior sneezed.  
  
"Trying to hide, Kaion?" asked Sotek.  
  
"...Oh, shush. Anyway, are we going to leave any time soon? I'd  
like to see a bit more of the cultures in this society," the warrior  
asked.  
  
"I guess we should leave now. Farewell, Simri."  
  
"Farewell, Mage Sotek."  
  
"...Shouldn't we have that one spell again? And goodbye, Simri."  
  
"The Seeming? It's a powerful spell... I think we'd better try to  
blend in without magic, if we're going to do so at all."  
  
"...Got any storage spells?"  
  
"...Excuse me, but would you mind if I got you both some clothes  
from a nearby store?" asked Simri.  
  
"...Sure." Kaion fumbled with his pouch and pulled out a gold coin.  
"Have this, even though I doubt the currency's the same..."  
  
"...A nice reminder of your visit. Alright. I will be back in a   
bit," Simri said just before leaving, after he pocketed the coin.  
  
"Hmm. Deeppockets might work... It's the only one I can think of,"  
said a Sotek thumbing through his spellbook, musing about a storage  
spell.  
  
"...I was looking for something to store my armor in, because what'm  
I going to do with this set of black leather armor in a land where   
they don't wear armor?" inquired Kaion.  
  
Some time passed, and Simri returned from the store. "I got two   
outfits for the both of you," he said as he entered the hut.  
  
Kaion's outfits consisted of two shirts, one white and one black,  
two pairs of pants, one grey and one black, and dark grey shoes.  
  
Sotek's outfits consisted of two shirts, one light blue, bordering   
on cyan and the other dark blue, a set of blue pants, and a pair of  
blue jeans, and blue colored shoes.  
  
"Well, then. Farewell, Simri, and thanks for all you've done,"   
Kaion said as the duo departed from Simri's hut that late morning.  
  
The duo left the town, and headed on into yet another wooded area.  
  
"Oh, look. A napping Pikachu. Well, i'll take good care of you!"  
Sotek said as he hurled a pokéball at a said pikachu at a bit past  
lunchtime.  
  
  
* TO BE CONTINUED * 


	2. Default Chapter Title

  
The Pestering Portal  
  
Part Two  
  
by Shastao (and Sotek)  
  
Note: Rich, fortunate (and hopefully kind) people probably own all  
the characters we didn't make up for this fanfic.  
  
  
-  
Chapter 5  
-  
  
  
The duo were on the road again, Sotek with a pikachu in tow in   
addition to his Abra. They walked for some time through the forest,  
when Kaion spotted something. "Look! A roadside pond!" he rushed  
over to the pond. Sotek promptly sat down and began thumbing through  
his spellbook. "I could use a quick dip," Kaion said as he removed  
his armor and set it down, and climbed a tree.  
  
"...Mmhmm...mmhmm," replied Sotek. Kaion stood on a limb that  
overlooks the pond, and jumped. However, in mid-jump, he felt a  
strangely familiar tingle in his spine.  
  
"Grah!" Kaion exclaimed, as he fell through the changing scenery.  
  
* * * * *  
  
The Jusenkyo Tour Guide happened to be sitting outside facing the   
training ground that evening, when suddenly a fellow resting and   
reading a book beside Nyannichuan materialized. One second later a   
fellow going headfirst into the spring materialized. "Sir! Very bad   
you fal...", a splooshing sound is heard, "...in spring."  
  
"Why? What happens?" Sotek asked, looking up from his spellbook.  
  
"Terrible tragic story of girl who drown in spring one thousand   
five hundred year ago. Whoever fall in spring take body of a young  
girl." The Guide sighed. "He second one this week."  
  
Kaion resurfaced from being under the waters of Nyannichuan. "Well,  
that was... the hell? I sound different?" Kaion took a look at him-  
(or is it her?)-self. Kaion, a girl with short curly blonde hair,   
blue eyes, but generally otherwise Kaion. "...What the hell is going  
on?"  
  
"You're cursed. I'm not sure of the details. You want to explain   
it?" Sotek said, looking at the Jusenkyo Guide.  
  
"He fall in Nyannichuan. Spring of Drowned Girl. Cold water turn   
him into girl. Hot water turn him back into man," the Guide told the  
duo.  
  
"...Why me?" Kaion muttered, half to himself.  
  
"At a guess, I'd say it's because you were jumping for a pond when  
the portal snagged us," replied Sotek.  
  
Kaion sighed. "So hot water will change me back?"  
  
"Yes," the Guide answered.  
  
"Got any hot water?" Kaion asked Sotek.  
  
"I can't think of any spells that'd work. At least, not beyond a   
cantrip, and that wouldn't produce enough," answered a pondering  
Sotek.  
  
"...Where could I get hot water?" Kaion asked the Tour Guide.  
  
The Guide answered. "Yes, sirs. You want hot water to change back,  
no? I be back soon," and went off to make some hot water.  
  
"Well, I only heard him say part of something when I went in that...  
pond. What was it he said in full?" inquired Kaion after the Tour  
Guide left.  
  
"He said it was very bad to fall in the spring."  
  
"...Well, that's obvious."  
  
"...Yes, well. When I get the chance, I think I'm going to see what  
I can do in the way of mitigating spells."  
  
"...I thought I heard him say something about 'second one'?"  
  
"Oh, that's right. He did. Apparently, someone else fell in that   
spring recently."  
  
"...Hmm."  
  
"Are you thinking of meeting up with whoever it was?"  
  
"Can't think of anything else to do."  
  
"And how to find him... I guess I'll ask that fellow when he comes   
back." As he said that, the Jusenkyo Tour Guide returned with a  
kettle of hot water, and dumped the hot water over Kaion.  
  
"...That's a bit hot! ...Hey! I'm back!" was Kaion's response.  
  
"...Oh, um. You said there was someone else who fell in the same  
spring?" Sotek asked the Guide.  
  
"Yes... what his name again?..."  
  
"...How would I know?" Sotek responded.  
  
"...Ah yes. Ranma something, I think. He with man who not speak   
good Chinese."  
  
"...," Kaion responded.  
  
  
-  
Chapter 6  
-  
  
  
That evening, the duo were resting for the night at the Tour Guide's  
small shack by the training ground of Jusenkyo, when there was a knock  
at the door. The Jusenkyo Tour Guide walked over to the door, and  
opened it. There was a voice from the door. "Do you know which way-"  
he asked, then realized who he was talking to. The Guide just walked   
on inside, and the fellow at the door entered. He closed the door   
behind him. "...Mind if I rest here the night, at least?"  
  
"...And you are?" inquired Kaion.  
  
"Was about to ask the same. I'm Ryouga Hibiki," he replied.  
  
"I'm Sotek. He's Kaion," Sotek answered.  
  
"...Strange names. Do you know which way it is to Japan?" Ryouga  
asked, as the Jusenkyo Tour Guide pulled out a map and laid it on the  
table.  
  
"You here," the Guide said, pointing to a part of China. "Japan  
there," pointing to Japan. "Big sea here," pointing to the Sea of  
Japan. "How to cross?"  
  
"...Hmm? A sea? How big?" asked Sotek.  
  
"...180 or more mile wide. Depend on where you go," the Guide   
replied.  
  
Kaion quietly asked Sotek, "...Think any magic'd work?"  
  
Sotek quietly replied, "A polymorph into a dragon, I think."  
  
"Y'think that Ryouga guy would be interested? I wonder why he wants  
to go to Japan anyway," Kaion asked Sotek.  
  
"No idea. I guess we'll have to ask him."  
  
"You ask."  
  
"I think I can help you get to Japan, if you want," Sotek said to  
Ryouga, in a normal voice.  
  
"...How? I would hate to to have to swim," Ryouga asked.  
  
"You won't have to swim, at least, not much."  
  
"...Then how?"  
  
"Flight."  
  
"...You got airplane tickets?"  
  
"...Airplane?"  
  
"...Guess not."  
  
"Should we explain in the morning?" suggested Kaion.  
  
"Sounds like a good idea," Sotek said. So the three rested for the  
night.  
  
  
-  
Chapter 7  
-  
  
  
"How are we going to fly to Japan, then?" inquired Ryouga as Sotek  
and Kaion prepared to set off.  
  
"I'm going to fly. You just have to hang on," Sotek replied.  
  
Kaion said, "He's a mage, by the way." Ryouga stared, having no  
comment to make.  
  
"Well. You want to go to Japan or not?" Sotek asked, finishing  
getting ready to travel.  
  
"...Yes. I must get to Tokyo."  
  
"In that case, let's find an open space and get moving," Sotek   
replied as Kaion finished preparing for travel. The trio then   
wandered for a few hours, until they found a spot large enough, in  
which they quickly ate an early lunch, then Sotek stood in the center  
of the large, moderately level spot. "Stand back," he said, then  
begun casting the Polymorph Self spell.  
  
His form began to shift then take the shape of a dragon. When the  
strong aura of magic faded in the level spot, where Sotek was there  
stood a white dragon.  
  
"This is what we call flying," Kaion said as the polymorphed mage  
picked up both Kaion and Ryouga.  
  
"...This is new," Ryouga stated, mostly nervously.  
  
A voice from the direction of the dragon boomed. "It's not the   
first time we've done this."  
  
"Now we hang on," Kaion said as the two scrambled onto the back of  
the dragon. Sotek took off, and they quickly sped away through the  
Chinese skies.  
  
* * * * *  
  
The three were cruising high over the skies above the Sea of Japan.  
Having not much else to do, Kaion tried conversation. "...So. Why're  
you going to Tokyo, anyway?" he asked.  
  
"...I've got to get my revenge on someone who's in China right now,  
but he'll be going to Tokyo afterwards. I want to be there, waiting  
for him, so I can send him to the HELL he's made my life," Ryouga  
replied.  
  
"...I see. And who is this person?"  
  
"Ranma Saotome."  
  
"...What'd he do to you?"  
  
"He made my life HELL!"  
  
The dragon's voice boomed, bearing some resemblence to Sotek's.  
"Which spring?"  
  
"...What are you suggesting, Sotek?" Kaion inquired.  
  
"Isn't it obvious? He's been to Jusenkyo; multiple times. There's  
a Ranma with a Jusenkyo curse, presumeably the same one as the Ranma   
he's chasing after," Sotek rumbled in response.  
  
"..." `Ranma Saotome, just you wait. By the time I get back to   
Japan i'll be waiting for you,' Ryouga thought.  
  
`Whatever curse Ryouga has, it must be something really embarrassing  
for him to act like that.' thought Sotek.  
  
`Whee! It's so high up here!' Kaion thought. 


	3. Default Chapter Title

  
The Pestering Portal  
  
Part Three  
  
by Shastao and Sotek  
  
Note: Rich, fortunate (and hopefully kind) people probably own all  
the characters we didn't make up for this fanfic.  
  
  
-  
Chapter 8  
-  
  
The middle of the night, at a camp with a single tent pitched. A   
campfire glows faintly. Kaion sits upright, in male form, about a   
dozen yards from the campfire, half on watch and half pondering.   
`It's amazing what we've been through this past fortnight and the five  
days before then,' he thought to himself. `Little did we know at the   
time that Ryouga, whom we thought would be our guide to his   
destination, can't navigate at all.' Leaning back some, Kaion   
recalled when they first landed on Japan...  
  
* * * * *  
  
The dragon was aiming for a beach, when suddenly the spell wore off.  
Sotek coasted the last few dozen yards and made a lovely face-first  
landing in a fair-sized pile of sand. "...Wonderful." The words came  
from Kaion, but in a female voice. Kaion waded up to the beach,   
carrying Ryouga's gear as well as his own, with a black piglet   
clinging to dear life to Kaion's head.  
  
`A pig. He turns into a pig. I guess that's something to be angry  
about,' thought Sotek, as he saw a dripping Kaion slowly walk up the  
beach towards Sotek.  
  
* * * * *  
  
`So we set up camp and made some hot water. Then Ryouga had to be  
so persistant as to offering to take us to Tokyo with him. Having not  
much else to do, we foolishly accepted,' Kaion reflected.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"So Tokyo is this way?" Ryouga asked, pointing to the left branch in  
a road fork.  
  
"No, it's this way," a traveler stated, pointing to the right.  
  
"Err... sorry to bother you," Ryouga said to the traveler. "Let's   
go," he said to Sotek and Kaion, not before heading off down the left  
fork. Shrugging, Sotek and Kaion followed.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Kaion, in the camp, looked over to Sotek, who was sleeping soundly  
in his sleeping bag out under the stars. `I wouldn't be surprised if  
Sotek is familiar with half of Japan by now, thanks to our travels.'  
Kaion stood up, stretched, took a few steps, then rested against a   
treetrunk and promptly fell asleep.  
  
  
-  
Chapter 9  
-  
  
  
The fact that a white glow inexplicably appeared along one   
particular street wasn't quite as surprising as the fact that a panda  
had been in close persuit of a red-haired girl in Chinese clothing  
ran out of an alley onto the same street, just a few blocks away,  
moments before the white glow appeared. After the glow faded, three  
boys appeared where the glow was. One turned into a pig, another into  
a girl, and the other one just got plain wet in the rainfall over the  
Nerima district that afternoon.  
  
However, fewer people noticed this than the number that should have,  
but it's not everyday you get to see a fight between a red-haired girl  
and a panda in Nerima.  
  
Kaion sighed. "...Y'know, i'm beginning to think this curse isn't a  
one-time thing," trying to fix the sudden curls in her hair, to no  
advantage.  
  
"Wouldn't be much of a curse if it was," Sotek replied.  
  
"Bwee!" said Ryouga, whom, at the moment, wasn't able to say   
anything understandable.  
  
"What in-?" Kaion blinked, seeing a panda rushing at a red-haired  
girl in Chinese clothes.  
  
"No idea," Sotek answered. Suddenly, Ryouga lept and charged at the  
red-haired girl with a loud 'bwee' warcry.  
  
The red-haired girl dodged the panda's strike, then she saw a black   
piglet attacking her knee. "What the-? Get lost, stupid pig!" and  
with that, Ryouga was punted onto the horizon. Dodging the panda's  
strikes, the girl thought out loud, "Where'd that pig come from,   
anyway?"  
  
But she wasn't expecting an answer. "With us."  
  
"What was with that pig, anyway?" asked the girl, nimbly dodging yet  
another attack from the panda.  
  
"Dunno," Kaion said.  
  
"...Where did you two come from?"  
  
"We just got here," Sotek answered. Getting fed up with the   
constant attacks during the conversation, Sotek outstretched his arms,  
muttered something incomprehensable, and the panda fell backwards and  
hit the ground.  
  
"...What the? What'd you just do?" asked the girl.  
  
"Nothing much; I just weakened it for awhile," Sotek replied.  
  
"...Why was that panda after you, anyway?" asked Kaion, flicking a  
curly lock of bangs out of her eyes.  
  
"...Who are you two?" the girl asked, in lieu of an answer.  
  
"I'm Sotek Windrider, and he--er she's Kaion. And you are?"  
  
"Ranma Saotome."  
  
"...Why were you fighting, anyway?" inquired Kaion.  
  
"Because /somebody/", Ranma kicked the panda, "had to go and pick a  
fianceé for me without even asking!" A brief pause, as the rain   
continued to fall, and people around were just staring, most under  
umbrellas. "...I'll be going back to China now."  
  
"Why?" asked Sotek.  
  
"...I've got to find a cure now."  
  
"For what?"  
  
"...I doubt you'd understand."  
  
Kaion mumbled to Sotek, "Where is that name familiar?" Sotek had  
to think for a few moments, before finally remembering.  
  
"Jusenkyo!"  
  
"H-how'd you know?" a nervous Ranma inquired.  
  
"...We've been places," Kaion said, hoping that would suffice for an  
answer.  
  
"I might be able to help you, but i'll need to rest for a while,  
first..." Sotek told Ranma.  
  
"...Rest? Well, if you can help with this curse..." Ranma trailed,  
watching the panda get up off of the ground. It muttered at Ranma,  
who responded with "Oh, fine," and then motioned for the duo to   
follow.  
  
"We going to follow that panda?" Kaion asked.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
  
-  
Chapter 10  
-  
  
  
There was a knock on the door of the Tendo residence, which Soun   
Tendo, expecting such, rushed to answer, shouting "Saotome, my friend!  
We've been waiting!" towards the door. There he found a panda and a   
red-haired girl. "Uhh..." he stated before rushing back on inside.  
With a shrug, the panda and red-haired girl entered, with Sotek and a  
blonde with a katana strapped to her back following them inside.  
  
After a bit of staring from the Tendos at the four strangers who had  
just entered their home, Soun pointed at Sotek, the only humanoid male  
in the group and stated, "You... wouldn't be..."  
  
"I'm not. Over there," Sotek said, pointing to the red-haired girl  
who stood nearby.  
  
"...Yes, i'm Ranma Saotome," she said, with a disdainful look on her  
face. Soun's face lights up.  
  
"At last! You're here!" he exclaims, then gives Ranma a rather  
tight hug, then Soun zones out and faints as Nabiki points out that  
Ranma isn't a boy.  
  
Akane leads Ranma to the dojo for a spar after offering to be   
friends. The panda slips off in the direction of the bathroom, thus  
leaving Kasumi, Nabiki, Soun, Sotek, and Kaion in the living room.  
  
"So, who are you two?" asks Soun, to Sotek and Kaion, in which Kaion  
is still in girl form.  
  
Kaion was the first to respond. "Kaion, guard and friend of..."  
with a gesture towards Sotek.  
  
"Sotek Windrider," Sotek finished. Brief conversation was made,   
then Kasumi left to go cook, and Nabiki got bored and went off towards  
her room for reasons unknown.  
  
A few minutes pass, then a man enters the room. "Saotome!", Soun   
greets him as he enters. Genma then explained to Soun, and as well  
Sotek and Kaion, about his trip to China, especially Jusenkyo.  
  
"And Tendo, these are some travelling companions...uhh...what're   
your names again?" Genma asked.  
  
"Sotek Windrider."  
  
"Kaion." With that, a bit of small talk was made, and Genma and   
Soun got some sake to drink, and a few minutes later, a very loud and  
prolonged scream was heard.  
  
Kaion jumped to her feet and attempted to draw her katana, but   
stumbles, and falls, trapping one arm between her back and the still   
sheathed katana. Akane runs in the room, hefts the table, and shouts  
"I'll drown him in the bathtub!"  
  
"Ow," mutters Kaion as Sotek merely blinks. Moments later a youth  
of about 16 years of age walks into the room.  
  
"I'm Ranma Saotome. Sorry about this." The three Tendo sisters  
were surprised by this. Genma then explained to them, in detail,  
about Jusenkyo.  
  
"Oh! So *that's* why Ryouga attacked you!" exclaimed Sotek as a  
soaking wet Ranma pulled herself out of the pond in the garden, but  
nobody except Kaion heard this in all the befuddlement as the laws of  
physics seemed to have taken a severe beating.  
  
After pouring very hot water on Genma, and missing Ranma with the  
same teakettle of water, Kaion grabs the quarter-full teakettle that  
was set aside. She poured it on herself, revealing that he, too, has  
the Jusenkyo Curse of Nyannichuan.  
  
  
* TO BE CONTINUED * 


	4. Default Chapter Title

  
The Pestering Portal  
  
Part Four  
  
by Shastao and Sotek  
  
Note: Rich, intelligent, extremely creative folks probably own all   
the characters and places we didn't make up exclusively for this   
fanfic. So please don't sue us; we don't have that much at all,   
anyway.  
  
  
-  
Chapter 11  
-  
  
  
Dawn breaks, revealing two figures sparring about the pond in the  
garden of the Tendo residence. They fight each other in the air for a  
bit, until Ranma is distracted by Sotek' gestures as he faces Kaion,  
who draws his katana. Genma kicks Ranma into the pond, taking   
advantage of the current situation.  
  
Suddenly four ugly orcs appear and rush at Kaion, whom moves swiftly  
and kills two with one strike, jumps up into the sky, killing the   
other two with downward slices. When Kaion sheathes his blade, he  
sees both Akane and Nabiki gaping at him. He shrugs as Ranma knocks  
Genma into the pond, and the two continue sparring.  
  
This continues for some time, until Kasumi halts it with a call for  
breakfast. Sotek and Kaion insist on eating out in the garden, not  
wanting to crowd things at the table. A bit later, Nabiki heads off  
to school, and shortly afterwards Ranma and Akane leave.  
  
After this, Sotek turns and faces Kaion. "We'd better get going, we  
don't want to be late."  
  
"...Late to what?" Kaion inquired, confused.  
  
"School. We've got to try to fit in, you know."  
  
"School? I take it taking my katana there wouldn't be wise?"  
  
"Probably not. I doubt we'll get into a fight there, anyway."  
  
"Well... I suppose it wouldn't hurt to try to go..." Kaion said as  
Sotek got ready to leave. They left, hurrying towards school, as  
Sotek was going on memory, thanks to following Ryouga around for those  
almost three weeks.  
  
A bit later, they saw two people rushing towards school up ahead of  
them. "Isn't that Akane and Ranma up there?" asked a squinting Sotek.  
  
"...I suppose, but let's leave the 'perfect couple' be, eh?" Kaion  
replied with a chuckle.  
  
"Good idea," Sotek said as Ranma got splashed with cold water. Sotek  
and Kaion watched as Akane and Ranma took a detour, then Sotek led   
Kaion on to school. They arrived in the classroom just in time to   
watch Akane decimate a horde of boys, then a duel between Ranma and  
Kunou.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Other than the arrival of two new students, class went on as it  
normally did, and Kaion noticed Nabiki talking with the same fellow  
Ranma had fought earlier that morning.  
  
Something Nabiki said that Kaion couldn't quite hear made Kunou have  
an outburst in mid-class. Suddenly he got hit on the forehead by   
high-velocity chalk, and was promptly sent out into the hall.  
  
A few minutes later, the near-silence of the room was shattered by a  
yell from the hall. The students in the nearby rooms pile to the hall  
windows to watch as Kunou and Ranma argued. After a bit of arguing,  
the two went barreling down the hall, with most of the student body in  
the nearby rooms following, trying to quietly run in the halls.  
  
Ranma took a leap out of a third-floor window, followed by Kunou,  
and Sotek quickly made a gesture and an uttering at this point. Both  
Kunou and Ranma were surprised that they were falling slower than they  
ought to have, and took advantage of this by beating on each other.  
  
  
-  
Chapter 12  
-  
  
  
Kaion sighed and threw himself on the floor of the guest room that  
he and Sotek were staying in. Sotek entered, and Kaion sighed again.  
"Well, that school day's over," Kaion said to Sotek.  
  
"Yes... I just hope we can fit in for now," Sotek responded. A few  
moments passed, then Ranma wandered on into the room.  
  
"...Sotek. You said something about a cure yesterday?"  
  
"Yes, I did... I can't try yet, though. I should be able to do   
something about it tomorrow."  
  
"...Ah. Well. Is there...anything I can do to help with it?"   
Ranma asked.  
  
"...Just try not to get another curse until then," Sotek replied,   
flippantly.  
  
"...I'll try. Be seeing you, then," Ranma said, walking out of the  
room.  
  
* * * * *  
  
The next day passed by rather blissfully for Kaion and Sotek,   
although they did hear a lot of discontent about the engagement   
between Ranma and Akane, but they generally tried to ignore all of  
that. The afternoon rolled around, when Sotek had promised to try to  
cure Ranma's curse.  
  
Kaion was practicing against the air in the garden for a little   
while, then he sheathed his blade and walked on inside, and noted a  
bucket half-full of water resting in the middle of the living room.  
  
Not wanting anyone to trip over it, he picked the bucket up and   
walked upstairs, towards the room he and Sotek were using. He was  
intending to dump it out the window, but when he entered the guest  
room, he tripped over an illogically placed walking staff, sending the  
contents of the bucket into the room.  
  
At this same time and place, however, Sotek had just finished an   
incantation with some gestures towards Ranma, and once he was finished  
he then saw a dripping wet female Ranma.  
  
"...eep! CHANGE ME BACK! CHANGE ME BACK!" she shrieked. Kaion  
stood up, gathered himself, and quickly grabbed a nearby kettle of hot  
water, and poured it over Ranma, but it had no effect.  
  
"...It's not working..." Kaion stated. Ranma sat in stunned silence  
for a moment, then ran out of the room crying.  
  
"...I think I can restore the curse, but it'll be a couple of   
days..." Sotek said at the open door, although Kaion was the only one  
who could hear him. Shrugging, Kaion walked out of the room. Moments  
later, a faint, almost inaudiable sound of water splashing could be  
heard.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Ranma," female Kaion said in the general direction of the garden.  
  
"Go away," Ranma's voice was heard from one end, inbetween her faint  
sobs.  
  
"No, really. Sotek can probably fix that little mishap in a couple  
of days..." Kaion trailed off.  
  
Ranma stopped sobbing. "He can?"  
  
"Most likely."  
  
"When?"  
  
"Two days."  
  
  
-  
Chapter 13  
-  
  
  
The next morning, Sotek went off to school, since Kaion wouldn't go  
in female form, and she was staying in that form since Ranma couldn't  
change back, either that or to get out of having to go to school.  
  
The day passed by rather blissfully, and as Sotek was leaving the  
school grounds, he met with Kunou. "And who might you be?" he asks.  
  
"Sotek Windrider."  
  
"...I believe I have seen you before, yes, I believe you are in my   
class, am I right? You came on the same day as that honorless  
Saotome."  
  
"Yes, I am in your class. And I did come on the same day as   
Saotome, yes."  
  
"Do you know him?"  
  
"Yes... I'm currently staying at the same-"  
  
Kunou interrupted. "The same house? That means... you stay at the  
same house as Akane Tendo!" Kunou shouted, grasping his bokken tighter  
and running at Sotek.  
  
Sotek jumped out of the way best he could, and frantically tried  
defending himself best he could, and cursing himself for not having  
his spellbook with him at the moment. Suddenly, this was interrupted  
by Akane.  
  
She shouted, "Upperclassman Kunou! You needn't bully the physically  
weak! If you're persistant on fighting someone, fight me!"  
  
Kunou was instantly distracted. "Well, then. If you defeat me then  
you will be allowed to-". He was cut off by being kicked a good  
several hundred yards by Akane.  
  
"Thank you for saving me," Sotek said. "If you like, I would be  
happy to even teach you a bit of magic."  
  
"Magic? Alright."  
  
  
* TO BE CONTINUED * 


End file.
